Managing the Meeting
Q. I have recently been elected to the Board of Directors of our association and I am concerned that our board meetings are entirely too long. It seems that we have more of a conversation with board members and homeowners all talking and little if any progress being made. Can you help with a few ideas that might get us on the right track?
A. The problem you describe arises too frequently. It happens for three basic reasons: the lack of understanding of the members of the purpose of the board of directors meeting, the unfamiliarity with meeting protocol and a lack of control by the chairperson. We find that many homeowners do not understand how community associations are governed.
The solution is fairly simple. First, homeowners, when attending a board of directors meeting, need to understand that it is not a general membership meeting. It may be helpful for the Chairperson to explain the structure and protocol periodically at the beginning of a board meeting. Except for a period set aside for homeowner comments, non-board members should refrain from trying to speak on issues unless recognized by the chairperson for a particular purpose. The board should set aside 15 minutes or more at the beginning of the meeting for homeowner input, then politely remind them that the remainder of the meeting is a business meeting of the board and that, as owners, they will not be voting or speaking on any issues.
Second, the chairperson needs to control the meeting using several techniques. The most important of these is by using Robert's Rules of Order for conducting the meeting. Almost all association documents state that meetings will be held in accordance with parliamentary procedure. Both the Community Associations Institute and the National Association of Parliamentarians have booklets that offer guidelines on these procedures. This doesn't mean that these guidelines must be followed to the letter, but understanding the principles set out in these booklets are essential to successful meetings.
One good technique is to prepare a timed agenda for the meeting indicating the time when each item will be addressed. The example below has proven to be very effective.
Board of Directors Meeting
Call to Order 6:30 PM
Homeowner Comment Time 6:32 PM
Minutes of the Previous Meeting 6:50 PM
Treasurer's Report 6:55 PM
President's Report 7:00 PM
Committee Reports 7:10 PM
OLD BUSINESS 7:25 PM
NEW BUSINESS 7:35 PM
*Motion to appoint a Finance Committee to prepare the 2006 budget. -- Move that the Treasurer chair a Finance Committee to prepare the 2006 budget. Appointment of two homeowners to serve with the Treasurer.
*Motion that the Association establish an Internet website. -- Move that the Association establish an Internet website which would be developed and maintained by a volunteer, but be placed on a commercial web server.
*Motion to host a Community holiday social. -- Move that the Association host an adult only Community social event during the holidays at a cost estimated to be $2,000.
Adjourn 8:00 PM
Note that all of the items are timed and that the motions to be discussed are written out.
Roberts Rules also help here, as the practice is that there is no discussion without a motion and a motion dies for the lack of a second. So when a motion is made and seconded the board members can then discuss it before voting. Homeowner comment should not be allowed unless the chairperson specifically recognizes an individual due to his or her special knowledge which relates to the issue at hand.
In voting, the board must act in the community's best interest. You will rarely please all of the owners but the longer an issue goes unresolved, the less likely your chances of reaching a satisfactory outcome.
It is important that the chairperson be willing to tell an owner that he or she is out of order. This needs to be done in a firm, but polite, way. The chairperson should let the owner know when he or she will be allowed to speak.
For board members a few simple rules will also help move the meeting along.
*Speak only when recognized by the chair. This is particularly important at board meetings.
*Ask questions, if you must, during the various reports, but do not make motions as that should be done later in the meeting.
*Vote only on items carried over from a previous meeting during the segment for unfinished business.
*Bring to the table only items not previously considered during the segment for new business.
*Do not discuss anything during the business portion unless there is a proper motion on the floor. This means that a motion has been made and seconded.
*Do not speak until recognized by the chairperson and speak to the issue at hand.
*Do not get involved in side conversations.
*Be brief: Shorten the discussion on unprepared topics. Unless it is an emergency, any new item should be carried over to the next meeting or referred to the association manager or a committee for consideration and/or a report at the next meeting.
*Remember that a motion to adjourn is always in order, but must be passed by a majority.